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Sequential extraction of uranium metal contamination

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Abstract

Samples of uranium contaminated dirt collected from the dirt floor of an abandoned metal rolling mill were analyzed for uranium using a sequential extraction protocol involving a series of five increasingly aggressive solvents. The quantity of uranium extracted from the contaminated dirt by each reagent can aid in predicting the fate and transport of the uranium contamination in the environment. Uranium was separated from each fraction using anion exchange, electrodeposition and analyzed by alpha spectroscopy analysis. Results demonstrate that approximately 77 % of the uranium was extracted using NH4Ac in 25 % acetic acid.

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Acknowledgments

This material is based upon work supported by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security under Grant Award Number 2012-DN-130-NF001. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security. This research was also supported by the University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center with a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Cincinnati, 598 Rhodes Hall PO Box 210072, Cincinnati, OH, 45221-0072, USA

    Maisha M. Murry & Henry B. Spitz

  2. Department of Chemistry, McMicken College of Arts & Science, University of Cincinnati, PO Box 210172, Cincinnati, OH, 45221-0072, USA

    William B. Connick

Authors
  1. Maisha M. Murry
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  2. Henry B. Spitz
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  3. William B. Connick
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Correspondence to Maisha M. Murry.

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Murry, M.M., Spitz, H.B. & Connick, W.B. Sequential extraction of uranium metal contamination. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307, 2075–2078 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4521-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4521-7

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